Pipe elevator



A. H. THOMAS.

PIPE ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED Hart, 1921.

n v 91. 2 E 11m m. m mm N o W E T w" v T M w H .w I .m s A W F .A

A. H. THOMAS. PIPE ELEVATOR. APPLICATION FILEDIEB. 5, 1921.

1,407,23 Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A.H.THOMA5, mvm oR I ATTORNEY.

UNITED AVERY H. THOMAS, or nous'ron, TEXAS.

Application fiIedFebruarv 5, 1921. ser al no. 442,626.

To all whom it may concern: e Be it known that I, Avnnr H. TrroMAs, a citizen of the United States, I'GSldlng at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have ,in-

vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pipe Elevators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in. theu art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7 o My invention relates to an improvement in elevators for use on drilling rigs, for.

V raising and lowering pipe I11 well drilling.

It has block which-is locked about the pipe to be handled.

An object of my invention is to provide an i I elevator block with ialatch therefor that readily moved into position therein.

leased in the act of pulling on the handle to draw the-block against the-pipe.

Another object is .to form an elevator block which will be strong in, construction,

which will lock positively when-released, and. which can be opened conveniently and expeditiously. 1

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof and whereinv like numerals of referenceare applied to like parts throughout the several views, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved elevator block with the bail removed; Fig. 2 is a top plan view on a reduced scale showing the latch withdrawn ready for raising same; Fig. 8 is a'similar view showing the latch in locked position and Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the .block in closed position about apiece of pipe, and with the upper part ofthe'supporting bail broken off. I

.With particular reference to Fig-=1, wherein the form of my improvement is best seen, the block 1 is disclosed as an'oblong block somewhat rectangular in form. It is provided with two end trunnions2 for support by a bail 3 shown broken offwin Fig.

4. The block has acentral curved recess 4 to receive the pipe to be grippethgthe forward face of the recess 4;:being beveled outwardly at 5, .to permit the pipe to be more Specification of Letters Patent.

curely. the curved face 8 is perpendicular 'to the particular reference to the clamping,

PIPE ELEVATOR;

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

i The said recess is closed by latch (i WlllCh COIIlPIlSGS a flat bar pivoted at one end on a pin-.7 rotatable inthe block as will be ClGSOI'lbBfL The rear face of the-bar constituting .the latch has an extensionformed flush with the-upperedge of the bar andof about half the 7 bar, said extension being curved at 8, on the slde towardjthe recess, to ,fit .about the plpe and therebyserve to hold the-same se- The side of the extensionj opposite facepfthebar itself and acts-when the bar isralsed .as shown in Fig. .1, to contact with the, upperface of the blocleand to act tohelp support the glatch in proper raised position.

The latch, as shown, sof narrow widthbut obviously may be of such. width asdesi-red within vertical thickness ofYsaid' Two forwardly extending brackets 9, .9 serve to. retain the latch in proper position i and act as asupport l-therefora" limits as set byxthesize of-the elevator.

The latch fits, at its outer end, in a recess or notch, 10 shaped to receiveit and deep enough t latch. 1

The manner in which the latch is locked is 1 o admit-the full width of .the

an importantfeature of my invention. The outer face of the-supporting bracket 9-is provided withtwo] grooves, a vertical one 111, and a horizontal one.l'1,,,cut therein at right angles .to each other}andcuttingseach i 7 :other at the centralpointwof the opening throughwhich thepin .7 passesp The pin 7 is fixed bya set-.sfcrew 16at its forward end in "a locking block 12 at a point :somewhat. above the center thereof. 'As

shown particularly-gin Figs.f2;and r3 said pin passes through the bracket ;9,the latch 6, and theblock-l. The-rear side of the .block 1- is counter-bored at 13-for a short :distance toprovideaspace, about thepin'i', to-receive av spiral springlt'which bears at one end on the inner wall of the recess and, at its outer end,- on the head 15 of the pin. The head 15 is of such size, as; to loosely fit the counter-bored portion' -l8, -The outer end of the head. 15 .has a lateral flange 16 to limit its movement into said recessj13.

yThe -.locking ;bloc k l2 has antongue 17 formed on its innerface and shapedand positioned to fit in either ofsa'idgrooves 11 or 11, according with the position of the latch.- On thesideiof said locking block to- .ward the pipe. recess 4- .isja l t y Q Q I ing rod forming ja handle 1 I having" its outer end incurved at 19-to fit slidably with- V as shown in Fig. 2. The flange 16 on the head of the pin 7 will prevent the movement of thepin'beyond the proper distance to release the latch-and the curved end 19 ofthe handle willnot bewithdr awn from its recess in lug 21. Thejoperator .then throws the latch upwardly to the vertical position shown'in Fig. 1. By releasing the handle 18*theoperator allows the spring 14:

to snap the tongue 17'into the horizontal groove 11, thereby retaining the latch erect.

out of the way of the pipe until it is again desired to'close the same about the pipe. When the block is drawn up against the pipe'in position to be clamped about it, the

operator pulls on the handle 18' thereby releasing the tongue 17 from the groovell'. If the pipe is'then in position in the'recess 1, the operator'pushes the latch into closed position. As "will be noted, the latch in open position, is pivoted "oi-F center, the weight of the latch being greater on the side toward the center'of the block. It will therefore drop to closed. position and automaticallylock itself there without furthereffort by the'operator. 1 i

1 This construction has'certain obvious. ad vantages; it can be unlatched by simply grasping the handle and pulling it toward the operator. The latch is automatically locked in' inoperative position by simply releasing the handle-when the latch is erect. It will'be lockedwhen the block is drawn against the pipe and the handle 18 released and droppedflltis simple and strong in construction and will not easily get out of order; While I have shown the preferred embodiment of invention, it is, obvious that various changes-in details crochet-ruction may be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Whatl'claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent isz' 1. In a device of the'charaeter described,

aneleva'tor block having'a pipe receiving recess, 'a'vertically swinging latch for closing said "recess,'a pivotpintherefor, a locking block'on said pin having a tongue thereon adapted tofit in'fa groove on said elevator blockfsaid block having approximately vertical and 1 horizontal grooves to cooperate with said tongue, a handletowithdraw'said tongue from either of said grooves, and

3. In a pipe elevator; an elevatorfblock having a pipe receiving recess therein, a latch to close said recess, a plvotpin forsaid latch comprising a pin slidable insaidjblock,

a locking block on said pin, a tongue on locking blockand grooves on said elevator blockinto which said tongue isadaptedjto' lit to retain said latch in either open or closed position. 1

I 4.111 a plpeelev'ator, an elevator blocli 7 having a pipe receiving recess therein, a latch to close said recess, a pivot pin for said latch comprising a pinslidable in'said block, a locking block on said pin, a tongue on said locking block, said elevator ,block having grooves to co-operate with said tongue, and

resilient means to, retain said tongue in said grooves. a I 5. In a pipe elevator, an elevator block having a pipe receiving recess therein, a U latch to close sa1d recess, a pivot pin for sa1d latch slidable in said elevator blo'ck,locking means on said pin adapted to lofek 'said latch in open or closed position, and a means to ing position. 7 o V 6. In a pipe elevator, an elevator blo ck' having a pipe receiving recesstherein, a latch'to close saidrecess, a pivot pin for said latch, grooves on said elevator block, a lockretain said locking means resilientlyin locking block on said pin having a tongue therefon, adapted'to fit in the said grooves in said elevator block and a spring on said pin acting to. draw said tongue into saidgrooves for the purpose described. a 1,

7 In a pipe elevator, an elevator block having a pipe receiving recess therein, a latch to close said recess, a pivotpin for said latch longitudinally slidable in said elevator block and said lateh,and a locking block on said pin, said locking block being held resiliently toward said elevator block and interfitting therewith. when saidlatch is in either open or closed position.

8. In a pipe elevator, an elevator block having a pipe receiving recess therein," a latch to close sa1d recess, a pivot pin for said latch, grooves Ion said elevator block, a locking block on saidpin having atongue thereon adapted to, fit in the said grooves infsaid "elevator block and; a spring on said acting to draw said tongue into said grooves for the purpose described, and a handle for said latch by means of which said locking block may be disengaged from said elevator block and said latch be swung on its pivot.

9. In a pipe elevator, a pipe receiving block, a latch thereon, a pivot pin for said latch, a locking block on said pin, co-operat ing tongue and groove locking means on said locking block and said elevator block, a

handle on said locking block having connection with said latch whereby said latch may be unlocked and swung onits pivot in the manner described.

10. In a pipe elevator, a pipe receiving block, a latch therefor, a pivot pin for said latch, a locking block for said pin, a handle:

block, a latch therefor pivoted at onefside thereof to swing in an approximatelyverticalplane and a locking means for said latch adapted to serve as a handle for said latch and to be released When'said handle isoperated. l In testimonywhereof, I hereunto affix my signature, this the 21st day of December,

A. 1)., 1920. v I I AVERY H. THOMAS. y 

